Travel guide to gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park Rwanda
Travel guide to gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park Rwanda; Gorilla trekking is an adventurous and the most popular activity that attracts many visitors to Rwanda. Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park involves visitors moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Volcanoes national park is located in northwestern part of Rwanda in Musanze village bordering with Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Volcanoes national park is a home of about 12 habituated gorilla families and trekking starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will be subdivided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and an experienced driver guide who is well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, variety of bird species, different plant species among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, playing, take photos and record videos to show people back home after the safari.
Cost of gorilla trekking permits in Volcanoes national park
Gorilla trekking permits are legal cards or documents that are issued to visitors above the age of 15 years allowing them to visit the habituated gorilla family and spend one hour with them. Gorilla trekking permits in Volcanoes national park cost 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities.
Gorilla trekking permits in Volcanoes national park can either be booked directly through Rwanda Development Board (RDB) a government body in charge of tourism in Rwanda by contacting the park headquarters via email or telephone calls. Gorilla trekking permits in Volcanoes national park can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with the date, month and year when you wish to visit the mountain gorillas. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability and if there are permits available on your preferred dates you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the money, we will purchase permits on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Gorilla trekking permits in Volcanoes national park should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because permits are competitive and get sold out quickly especially during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February therefore in order to avoid last minute disappointments, you are advised to book in advance.
Best time to go for gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season there is less or little rainfall in the national park therefore gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which make trekking easy compared to the rainy season when trails are muddy and slippery which make trekking difficult.
What to pack for gorilla trekking safari in volcanoes national park
There are a number of items to pack for your gorilla trekking safari in Volcanoes national park including long sleeved shirt and trouser, garden gloves, insect repellent, hiking boots, rain jacket, warm sweater, energy snacks and drinking water, back pack, walking stick, sunglasses and a hat, camera and extra batteries, a pair of binoculars among others.
How to get to volcanoes national park
Volcanoes national park is located in northwestern part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means where you will drive from Kigali international airport to the park headquarters which takes about 2 hours’ drive.
Other activities in volcanoes national park
Volcanoes national park offers other interesting activities that visitors can engage in after gorilla trekking including Golden monkey trekking, mountain hiking where you will hike mount Karisimbi and Bisoke, Iby’iwacu cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the local people, Dian Fossey tomb hike, Bird watching, tour the Musanze caves among others.
Where to stay during your gorilla trekking safari in volcanoes national park
volcanoes national park has a wide range of accommodation facilities where you can stay during your gorilla trekking safari including Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco lodge, Virunga Inn Resort and Spa, One and Only Gorillas Nest lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback lodge, Faraja hotel, Best View hotel, Da Vinci Gorilla lodge, Garden Place hotel, Gorilla Solution lodge, Mountain Gorilla View lodge, Gorillas Volcanoes hotel, Hotel Muhabura, Le Bambou Gorilla Village, Virunga Lodge, Villa Gorilla, Garr Hotel, Kinigi Guesthouse, La Palme hotel, Amakoro Songa lodge, Eagle View Lodge, My Hill Eco Lodge, Ruzizi Tented Camp, Kataza House, Urugano Virunga Palace, Karenge Bush Camp, Gorillas Volcanoes Hotel, Garden Place Hotel, Bisate lodge among others.
For more information about gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for various gorilla trekking packages.
